Total enrollment
6,997
-75 (-1%) vs SY 2017-18
Steele County
Minnesota · Public K-12
In Steele County, Minnesota, the public-school system rolls up to 24 schools and roughly 6,997 K-12 students, with county median household income around $84,196. That works out to 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 8 high schools.
7-year change in Steele County
SY 2017-18 vs SY 2024-25School count
20
+6 (+43%) vs SY 2017-18
% White
75%
was 77%
% Hispanic
16%
was 13%
% Black
5%
was 6%
% Asian
1%
was 1%
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, enrollment-weighted demographic averages
Schools
24
5 districts
Enrollment
6,997
NCES CCD
Median income
$84,196
Above Minnesota avg
Free/reduced lunch
40.6%
Below Minnesota avg
Elementary
11
3,340 students
Middle
4
1,175 students
High
8
2,482 students
Combined / other
1
schools
LARGEST DISTRICT
OWATONNA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
4,890 students · 5 districts in Steele County
County vs. school enrollment demographics
Left bar is the racial makeup of Steele County residents (Census ACS 5-year). Right bar is the enrollment-weighted makeup of public schools in the county (NCES CCD). NCES systematically under-reports Hispanic, Pacific Islander, and Native American enrollment for many schools; where the resident share is meaningful but the reported school share is zero, we mark the school bar "not reported".
County residents
School enrollment
Bachelor's+
28.0%
adults 25+
Poverty rate
5.3%
ACS 5-year
Unemployment
3.4%
civilian labor
Median age
41
24.3% under 18
Test scores in Steele County
Latest 2024-25 ELA proficiency, 12 schools ranked. Minnesota state average: 49.9%.
Top 5 schools (ELA)
- OWATONNA SENIOR HIGH· 60.6%
- Blooming Prairie Intermediate Schoo· 59.1%
- BLOOMING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY· 57.7%
- Owatonna Middle School· 47.7%
- LINCOLN ELEMENTARY· 47.2%
Lowest 5 schools (ELA)
- WILSON ELEMENTARY· 36.5%
- Medford Secondary· 41.8%
- NRHEG ELEMENTARY· 42.6%
- MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY· 43.7%
- Medford Elementary· 44.5%
| Name | City | Level | Grades | Enrollment | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OWATONNA SENIOR HIGH | Owatonna | High | 09-12 | 1,468 | · |
| Owatonna Middle School | Owatonna | Middle | 06-08 | 1,015 | · |
| MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY | Owatonna | Elementary | KG-05 | 510 | · |
| LINCOLN ELEMENTARY | Owatonna | Elementary | KG-05 | 505 | · |
| WASHINGTON ELEMENTARY | Owatonna | Elementary | KG-05 | 468 | · |
| Medford Elementary | Medford | Elementary | PK-06 | 466 | · |
| WILSON ELEMENTARY | Owatonna | Elementary | KG-05 | 454 | · |
| Blooming Prairie High School | Blooming Prairie | High | 07-12 | 385 | · |
| Medford Secondary | Medford | High | 07-12 | 379 | · |
| NRHEG ELEMENTARY | Ellendale | Elementary | PK-05 | 354 | · |
| BLOOMING PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY | Blooming Prairie | Elementary | PK-04 | 341 | · |
| Blooming Prairie Intermediate Schoo | Blooming Prairie | Middle | 05-06 | 138 | · |
| Owatonna Online 9-12 | Owatonna | High | 09-12 | 136 | · |
| OEC ELC | Owatonna | Elementary | PK-PK | 109 | · |
| OWATONNA ECSE | Owatonna | Elementary | PK-PK | 87 | · |
| OWATONNA ALC 9-12 | Owatonna | High | 09-12 | 70 | · |
| CHOICE Technical Academy | Owatonna | High | 07-12 | 44 | · |
| Roosevelt ELC | Owatonna | Elementary | PK-PK | 32 | · |
| Owatonna Online 7-8 | Owatonna | Middle | 07-08 | 22 | · |
| Owatonna Online K-6 | Owatonna | Elementary | KG-06 | 14 | · |
| OWATONNA SUMMER SCHOOL 9-12 | Owatonna | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Out of State Care and Treatment | Owatonna | Combined | KG-12 | 0 | · |
| Owatonna Night School | Owatonna | High | 09-12 | 0 | · |
| Owatonna Summer School 6-8 | Owatonna | Middle | 06-08 | 0 | · |
Cities in Steele County
About Steele County
Across the rural-scale Minnesota county of Steele County of about 37,439 residents, the public-school footprint covers 24 schools and about 6,997 students.
Looking at the broader picture, census numbers show the median household earns about $84,196 a year, about 28% of adults have a bachelor's degree or above, and roughly 5% of residents live below the federal poverty line. That income level is 9% higher than the Minnesota median.
In terms of grade levels, Steele County comprises 11 elementary schools (3,340 students), 4 middle schools (1,175), 8 high schools (2,482), and 1 combined or other schools.
OWATONNA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT is the biggest district by enrollment, covering about 4,890 students across Steele County.
Five-year track record. Total public-school enrollment in Steele County has remained close to its prior level since SY 2017-18, moving from about 7,072 students to 6,997. Over that span, Steele County added 6 schools, going from 14 to 20.
On this page, the community for Steele County discusses open enrollment windows, redistricting talk, and busing logistics. Parents, students, and educators in the area can post or comment.
Frequently asked questions
Steele County school rankings
DATA · Census ACS 5-year · NCES Common Core of Data